Machine for covering piano-strings



(No Model.)

F'. E. LYON. l MACHINE POR COVERING PIANO STRINGS. No. 515,597 Patented Peb. 27

l i S 5 @www (,m/ @WS m I mw\\\, i

"Lf Yl j @Irl 7 @lvl/Enclose@ llNrrnn Sterns arent* lrarer..

FRANK E. LYON, OF DUBUQE, OVA.

'MACHINE FOR COVERING PIANO-STRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming pan of Letters Patent No. 515,597, dated February 2v, ieee.

Serial No. 466,076. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be `it known that I, FRANK E. LYON, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Dubuque,

in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa,-

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Covering Piano- Strings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a machine for producing piano strings and the like which are formed by spirally winding wire upon a central core of Wire, and it consists of certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be herein after described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation partly in section of my limproved machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation of the same, and Fig. 8 is an end view of the guide and tension feed plate.

Ain the drawings represents myimproved machine for making piano strings and the like, and it consists of a stationary base B provided with alongitudinal groove l) in which is journaled a suitable number of rollers h. Within this groove and upon the rollers a longitudinally movable carriage C is placed and is adapted to move backward and for- Ward with as little friction as possible,

D, D are brackets secured to the top surface of the carriage by pins d extending down from the brackets and resting in holes o in the top of the carriage, and held by screws c. Ase'ries of these adjusting holes c may be provided along the top of the carriage for bringing the brackets D, D .closer together or farther apart accordingly as it is desired to cover a short or long string. On these brackets the core Wire E t0 be wrapped is tightly stretched and held so as not to revolve, one end being hooked on one of the brackets and the other end held bya tension device of any suitable construction on the other bracket.

F, F are stationarysupports secured to the base and sustain the hollow shaft or arbor G, which is hollow from end to end. Secured to this shaft or formed with itis a pulleyJ over which a belt is passed to Operate the machine. Ou the left hand end of the hollow shaft or arbor a reel or drum I carrying the wrapping wire H is loosely journaled, which when all the wire is wound from olf of the saine can be slipped off that end of the shaft by unscrewing the guide and tension plate H from the shaft, and be replaced by a filled reel.

Between the reel and one of the supports F a collar K is shrunk or permanently fixed on the shaft or arbor G as shown, to prevent the reel having a lateral movement in that direction, it being prevented from moving in the opposite direction by the guide and tension plate H. As stated above, the tension and guide plate His screwed onto the end of the shaft or arborGr and consists of a revoluble, centrally perforated circular metal disk formed With a hub extension h. on its outer surface and having its central opening filled or closed by a centrally perforated core h of wood or other non scratching solid substance.

On the outer face of the tension and guide plate between the hub extension and its outer periphery it is provided with a tension device h2 between which and the outer face of the plate H the wrapping wire M is passed and held at any desired tension by the thumb screw 72.3 as shown. The passage through the plug or core of wood l1.' iu the plate H is just about the same size as the core wire passed through it, and this is found of great importance, as the wrapping or covering Wire which passes from off the reel through an opening h4 in the plate H near its outer periphery, thence under the tension device and down through the outwardly extended hub h onto and around the wire F, will be crowded in between the first wrap or Wind which has been made around the stretched core wire F and the perforated plug or core h, and automatically force the carriage carrying the stretched core wire F forward, as fast as the wire F is Wrapped', this result being due to the fact that the perforation in the plug or core h is not large enough to permit the wrapped wire to press into the same, and to the fact that the only part of the machine which is movable longitudinallybeing the carriage and the wire carried thereby which must necessarily give way and be forced forward.

IOO

' surface of wood or other similar substance should be employed to protect the wire'from ingury. It is to accomplish this object that I construct the central core h of the plate H of wood, and also construct the carriage to move with as little friction as possible and stret'clrthe wire F as tightly as possible.

l. In a machine for covering piano strings andv thelikethe combination of a suitable base havingvertical supports, a hollow shaft journaled in said supports, aA drum, reel'audguide and tension plate all centrally arranged on said shaft in the same axial line and hav- ,ing a rotary movement only, alongitudinally movable carriage provided with means for carrying and holding a non revoluble core wire by both of its ends, at a proper tension while being wrapped, the said core wire when secured to the carriage passing through the hollow shaft, drum, reel and tension plate, the passage through the tension plate being smaller in diameter than the core wire when wrapped, so that the covering wire as it is being wrapped around the core wire will move the carriage forward automatically without any other feeding means, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for covering piano strings and the like the combination of a suitable guiding base having vertical supports, a longitudinally arranged hollow shaft journaled 1n said supports, a drum, reel and guide and tension plate all arranged on said shaft in the same axial line and having a rotary movement only; the tension plate having a clamping disk and a radially perforated hub like extension, the tension disk being applied to one of the faces of the tension plate and provided with a regulating tension screw so that the covering wire will be caused to pass toward' the core Wire in a direction practically at a right angle; a longitudinally moving carriage provided with means for carrying and holding a non revolving core wire by both of A its ends at a tension while being wrapped, the

said'core wire when secured to the carriage passing through the hollow shaft, drum, reel and tension plate, the passage through the .arranged on said shaft in the same axial line,

a longitudinally movable carriage carrying a non revoluble core wire which passes centrally through the shaft, reel and tension plate, adjustable wire attaching brackets'on the carriage and two or more adjusting holes in the Same formovingthe said brackets nearer to or farther from each other, s-ubstantially'as described. y c

4i In a wire wrapping' machine, the combination of a groovedv guiding and' supporting base having a roller bed, supports'seeured to-` said base, a hollow shaft journaled in saidv supports and carrying a drum, re'el andguide and tension plate all having a rotary movement only, a longitudinally moving carriage provided with means for carrying a non revolving core wire by'both of its ends ata tension while being wrapped, the said core wire when secured to the carriage passingrthr'ough the tension plate, the passage through thettension plate being smaller in diameter than the core wire when wrapped, whereby the covering wire as it is being wrapped around the core wire will move the carriage andthe core `wire carried thereby, forward automatically without other feeding means, substantially,

' as described.

5. In a wire covering machine, the combination of a reel for holding and feeding a V Covering wire, means' for imparting a rotary movement only to -said reel, and a longitudi nally movable carriage providedwith meansv for holding and carrying at a tensiona non revoluble core wire to be wrapped,the said'earriage and core Wire being'moved forward autoinatically and without other feeding'means by the covering Wire as itis being wi'apped around the core wire, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. LYON.

Witnesses:

G. Z. GRosvENoR, J. C. WEAVER.

IOO

l'IO 

